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He was charged with taking bribes worth 1.5 million NISs (Israeli New Shekels).
The so-called Holyland case made headlines. It's a Jerusalem luxury housing project. Olmert was city mayor at the time. Later he was Israel Land Administration minister.
On January 8, a Haaretz editorial headlined "Holyland corruption case is a fight for Israel's soul," saying:
"The Israeli entire public must reject corruption and remove those stained by it from government."The Holyland complex "emerge(d) as an extravagant memorial to municipal corruption, riches to entrepreneurs, fringe benefits to elected officials, and kickbacks to go-betweens."
In other words, it was business as usual for crooked profiteers and complicit politicians. Haaretz called the case "a watershed in the way the public relates to the conduct of government."
Whether those indicted are convicted or exonerated, "the system....will find it hard to present a defense...."
It's fundamentally corrupt. It's rife with bribes, kickbacks, and cronyism. Crimes are committed multiple ways. Everyone involved has both hands in the till. The resulting architecture makes Israel's skyline "ugly."
On April 26, 2010, Israel's Ynet News headlined "Der Spiegel: Israel is a corrupt country," saying:
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